Giricek had fallen out of favor with Jazz coach Jerry Sloan after the two had a heated exchange during a timeout in a Dec. 19 game at Charlotte. The 6-foot-5 reserve guard was ordered to the locker room, was sent home for three games and never played again for the Jazz.

"It's a clean slate," 76ers president Ed Stefanski said. "He was excited to be joining the team."

The deal, though, was more about salary cap flexibility for the Sixers than it was getting a player who could help them this season. Giricek's $4 million US contract expires at the end of the season, giving the Sixers about $10 million in cap space for next summer.

Korver was due a little more than $15 million over the final three years of his deal.

"We're probably the only team that has that kind of money," Stefanski said. "We'd like to be a player in the free agent or trade market this summer. We get in the game by doing this."

SHAQ STILL OUT

Injured starters Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Williams did not travel with the Miami Heat to their game last night against the Washington Wizards.

After playing in each of Miami's first 29 games, O'Neal missed a second consecutive contest. He is sidelined by sore hips and a sore thigh. Williams, who like O'Neal sat out Friday's overtime loss to the Orlando Magic, has left knee tendinitis.

Johnson has played for Atlanta, New York and Denver during a seven-year NBA career that was interrupted when he broke his neck in a car accident in 2002. He returned to the NBA 11/2 years later with the Knicks.

The 27-year-old Johnson had his best season in 2001-02, when he averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 72 games with the Hawks.

He started this season with the Spurs' NBA Development League team in Austin, averaging 15.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 10 games.